Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health and in Bangladesh, this vulnerability is exacerbated by delayed diagnoses, malnutrition, and limited access to healthcare.
To address TB, especially among children, the icddr,b-led USAID’s Alliance for Combating Tuberculosis in Bangladesh (ACTB) Activity, in partnership with Prothom Alo, launched the Health Olympiad 2024 in May as a student engagement initiative.
The event concluded on Friday, with winners awarded in the presence of Adviser Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, along with other dignitaries, over 550 students, their teachers, and parents.
Since its launch in May 2024, the Health Olympiad engaged over 96,000 students from 6,000 schools across 12 districts in the Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions. The district-level competitions, held between 30 May and 8 September 2024, involved more than 5,000 students participating in quizzes and poster presentations.
To accommodate growing interest among students, an online version of the Health Olympiad was introduced in September, allowing participants from across Bangladesh to join. In the finale, around 360 regional winners and 60 winners from the online quiz took part in the quiz segment, while 120 students showcased their creativity in a poster competition focused on TB awareness.
The Health Olympiad 2024 featured three categories: Primary, Junior, and Secondary. Nishat Tasnim Ohana from Biam Model School and College in Bogra won the Primary title, Khadijatul Kubra from Shahid Nazmul Haque Girls’ High School in Rajshahi claimed the Junior title, and Md. Taimur Hasan from Rangpur Zilla School won the Secondary title.
The champions of the team-based mural competition were Naogaon Chakrampur Government Primary School, Bogra Armed Police Battalion School and College, and Rangpur Government Girls’ High School, each winning in their respective category. Winners from each age group received medals and certificates for their achievements.
As the chief guest, Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasised the importance of good health practices to ensure the wellbeing of future generations.
icddr,b’s Executive Director, Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, underscored that tuberculosis is an infectious disease that spreads through coughing.
He emphasised the importance of being mindful about coughing up sputum and phlegm in public places and encouraged everyone to pay attention to proper health etiquette.
Dr Md. Jahangir Kabir, Programme Manager of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP), highlighted the government’s efforts to reduce TB deaths by 95 percent by 2035.
Professor Dr Nazmul Hossain, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), remarked that tuberculosis is an ancient disease and remains a major health concern. However, many effective treatments are now available, and the disease can be diagnosed quickly.
